Constantinos Volanakis

Sale: Christie's, London, 29 November 1985, lot 43
Private Collection, Athens

'In the dreamy depth of night, moored ships, shrouds and shadows compose very pretty nocturnes.' (The Commercial Bank of Greece, Greek Painters of the Nineteenth Century, Athens, 1957, p. 20).

Moonlit seascapes would feature far more frequently in Volanakis' canon after his return to Greece and specifically Piraeus in the last quarter of the Nineteenth Century. In the present work, the variety of shades of blue stretch almost uninterrupted through the composition, punctuated by fishing boats moored on the still waters. Two basic light sources, the full moon and a lantern illuminating the fishermen's canopied dwelling, break up the cool serenity of the scene. Volanakis' signature atmosphere of calm and tranquility is evident here, and his habitual maritime subject is complemented by a subtle change in ambience and environment.